


fragility

by solarghibli



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst, Domestic Fluff, Falling In Love, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, Soft Kenma, Soft Kuroo, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, love is art, mentioned haikyuu cast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:21:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 8,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22983208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/solarghibli/pseuds/solarghibli
Summary: their romance was that of a movie, and their love burned brighter than flames. it was art; beautiful and mesmerizing and priceless.
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 19
Kudos: 30





	1. spilt drinks and stolen winks

They'd been dating for a few months. It was something straight out of a movie, starting with the most cliche meet-cute ever. Kuroo was sitting down doing work on his computer at his favorite coffee shop when Kenma, small, shy Kenma tripped and spilled his drink on the former. When Kuroo heard the soft voice apologize profusely and saw the earnest, beautiful look on Kenma’s face, he melted— not even upset at his favorite shirt slowly being stained by iced coffee.

“Is there anything I can do? Maybe pay to have it dry cleaned?” Kenma asked, nervously shuffling back and forth. He clearly felt awful for inconveniencing the other. 

Kuroo smiled, not at all worried. he waved his hand noncommittally and said, “It’s not a problem, really! Although, maybe you could let me take you out on a date to make up for it?” 

Kenma’s eyes grew wide and he blushed deeply then handed Kuroo his number, muttering something about, ‘Technically _I_ should be the one treating _you_.”

Kuroo winked and simply answered that he’d call him soon. Kenmas mouth opened in a small ‘o’ before he said that he’d look forward to it, then he rushed out of the coffee shop giddily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are always welcomed and appreciated!!
> 
> follow me on twt: @solarghibli


	2. perfect poetry

From there, it was easy, beautiful. The pair fit together wonderfully, as if they’d known each other for years. Kenmas natural shy nature remained, though bit by bit his sarcastic remarks would fly out now and again, showing another spritely side of him. Every aspect of his personality was adored by Kuroo. His friends said he was just infatuated but Kuroo, well he knew it was love. 

So he told Kenma. It was a normal day for them. The two were on the couch, doing their own things. It happened when Kuroo looked over to see the smaller intensely focused on his game; tongue slightly peeking out and eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly in concentration. Kuroo was breathless, overwhelmed with emotions he reached out and pulled Kenma into his arms. 

“Ah!! What are you doing I’m gonna have to restart this round if I die!” Kenma whined and flailed around lightly. Kuroo just chuckled as he watched Kenma hit pause before turning to face the dark haired male. “As much as I enjoy being held by you I _really_ don’t wanna lose. Plus if I-”

“I love you.” 

Kenma froze, not expecting the sudden confession from the other. His eyes never left Kuroo’s face. Searching it, all he saw was certainty and a softness that was always reserved only for himself. A side of Kuroo only Kenma had the honor of seeing. And now it held such a complex amount of adoration that now it was Kenma who couldn’t breathe. Kuroo loved him. He _loved_ him. 

“Tetsurou…” Kenma paused, trying to calm his racing heart. “...I love you too.”

A smile that rivaled the brightness of the sun split across Kuroo’s face. He stood up and swept Kenma into his arms once again. Spinning him around and around he repeated three words that sounded more beautiful than all the poetry in the world, “I love you, I love you, I love you!” 

Kenma giggled and kissed him, deeply and passionately. They were in love. It was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are always welcomed!!
> 
> follow me on twt: @solarghibli


	3. the price of art

“Hey Kenma?”

“Mnn?” 

“Have you heard about how that friend of Akaashi’s had his place broken into?” Kuroo asked, looking at his phone where he had just received a text from Akaashi, one of Kuroo’s close friends.

Kenma finally looked up from his game. “Whoa, that’s awful. Is the guy okay?”

“Yeah,” Kuroo responded, “Luckily he wasn’t home.” He reread the text, “Apparently they didn’t even take much.”

Kenma shrugged, “Oh that’s good I guess. But a little weird. If I was gonna go through the trouble of breaking and entering… then robbing… might as well take a lot you know.”

Kuroo snorted, “Exactly! Like it's just pretty weird that they only took a few things. Also I guess the guy has pretty high security but not one alarm was even triggered. Imagine paying all that money for a security system but it doesn’t even work. I mean the dude is rich but still, that would suck.”

“Wait yeah that would. Is he gonna sue the company? Sounds like they really messed up there.” Kenma paused for a moment, thinking. “What was taken?”

“Ahh I’m not sure, Akaashi didn’t really say. Oh- wait he just texted back...” Kuroo was reading for a second then spoke, still reading the message, “I think he mentioned a few collectibles and- holy _shit_!” 

His eyes widened and he sent Kenma a shocked look, “Apparently he’s super into art just like Akaashi. He has a uh, uh-” Kuroo squinted intensely at his phone screen as if he was trying to decipher something. “A Jan Van Eyck? No idea if I pronounced that right… but anyways Kenma, get this. The dude bought it for 120,000 dollars!”

Kenma’s mouth dropped. “WHAT!” He shouted, he never could figure out how people could drop so much money on art. Like yeah, paintings looked cool but 120,000 dollars cool? Definitely not! 

“Kuro that’s insane! Oh no he must be so stressed right now. I’d be fucking terrified, like not only a break-in but losing a painting that costs more than most people make in a year? Even if you’re rich that must suck.”

“Yeah, apparently it meant a lot to the guy, Akaashi handled the obtaining of the painting and stuff, that was actually how they met cause he’s a curator ya’ know. I think they like each other, I mean... I’ve only met the dude once but he was so obviously whipped for Akaashi.”

“Oooh,” Kenma cooed, “Akaashi has a cruuush! What’s the guy's name?”

“I think it’s Bokuto or something like that.”

Kenma nodded in understanding before going back to his game, figuring the conversation was over. 

“Oh hey did you want me to make reservations for that new restaurant that opened up down the block?” 

Kenma, still pushing buttons rapidly and focused on the screen, responded, “Please! I heard the food is really good and they have like, a live band playing. I guess it’s super fancy and stuff.” 

“Sounds like a date.”

Kenma looked over at this and caught the wink Kuroo sent his way. Even though they’ve been dating for a while Kuroo still managed to make him flustered, even with something as dumb as a wink. He blushed, “Mhmm.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are always welcomed and appreciated !!
> 
> follow me on twt: @solarghibli


	4. warm hearts

One night laying in bed, Kuroo rolled over to face Kenma, worry etched on his face. Kenma was sitting cross-legged beside him, face buried in a new game he got earlier, Kuroo would bet everything he owned that he was already close to beating it. A few minutes later Kenma sighed and paused his game. “I can _hear_ your anxiousness, what's wrong?”

Kuroo stayed silent, debating whether he should voice his feelings or not, if it was worth even following this train of thought. Kenma, noticing his conflicted expression, sighed, then moved to face Kuroo better. He threw his console to the side and pulled Kuroo up to a sitting position and wormed his way into his lap. He stared deep into Kuroo’s eyes before shoving his chest harshly, which was difficult considering their proximity. 

“You, idiot. Something’s bothering you. No- no, none of that,” he cut Kuroo off before he could interject. “Something’s bothering you, which means it’s bothering me now; cause if you’re upset then I’m upset. We’re in this together alright? And I don’t want you sad, that's…” Kenma searched for the words to say, “That’s… just, let me be here for you, please?”

Kuroo gaped at him, not having expected such a heartfelt and _lengthy_ response from the usually quiet and slightly reserved Kenma. Kuroo was also shocked, because as he’s gotten to know Kenma he’s learnt that the younger ensures he takes his time to respond, that way he’d always have the exact words to say. Seeing Kenma break down some of his walls in the hopes of comforting Kuroo shattered his heart then pieced it right back together in the matter of seconds.

He glanced down, away from Kenma’s piercing stare. “I just, I worry that I’m…” He trailed off, unsure of how to match feelings to uttered language. He settled for something else. He placed his right hand on Kenma’s heart and asked, “Kozume are you happy?”

Kenma blinked, and stared blankly at him. “Am- am I _happy_?” 

Kuroo finally looked back at him, eyebrows still furrowed faintly. Kenma reached up and touched Kuroo’s face, as if he was trying to smooth away the worry lines. He laughed gently, ever so gently. Making eye contact with Kuroo, adoration was clear on his face. “Kuro, you absolute daft, wonderful idiot. I've never been _happier_.”

A sharp intake of breath followed by, “Really?” 

“Yes, god yes of course. I...may not always be able to express how much I love you, or how happy you make me, but that doesn’t mean those things aren’t true. It’s something I have to work on I know that, but please, don’t forget me telling you right now, that I am most definitely the happiest I’ve _ever_ been. Because of _you_.”

Kuroo broke out in a smile, leaning down he pressed feather-light kisses all over Kenma’s face, ‘I love you’s’ accompanying each kiss. Kenma giggled and pushed away at Kuroo halfheartedly, “You’re so annoying, jeez!” 

Laughter, “That’s not what you said a few moments ago.. What was it? ‘I love you so much Kuroo, you’re the light of my life Kuroo, I’ll let you play my games Kuroo.’”

Kenma moved to get off Kuroo’s lap, “That’s it, mushiness revoked, never doing this again.”

“Nooo,” Kuroo moaned out dramatically, pulling the fake blond back to him. “I’m kidding, plus I love the mushiness too much to let it never happen again, it’s all soft and squishy like your cheeks.” He moved to pinch Kenma’s cheeks, that were puffed out due to an exaggerated pout. But seeing the hand coming up Kenma took the chance to dash away.

“You’re _not_ pinching my cheeks you jerk!” He called back to him.

Kuroo got up to chase him, “Jesus Kenma! For someone who hates exercise you’re so damn fast what the fuck.” 

A faint response from another room, “I may not like exercise but that doesn't mean I’m _bad_ at it!”

The night ended in laughter and Kuroo dragging a begrudging Kenma back to bed for cuddles (that Kenma loved but wouldn’t admit it cause, ‘that’s a Kuroo thing to like, not a me thing).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are always welcomed!!
> 
> follow me on twt: @solarghibli


	5. say you love me before i go

“You sure you don’t wanna come? You know I’d love it if you came along, it’s not too late to buy a last minute plane ticket.”

Kenma was all packed up for some gaming convention he’d been looking forward to for a while. His plane left in a few hours but Kuroo wanted to make sure Kenma left early so he wouldn’t miss his flight. If it were up to Kenma he’d probably wait till the last moment and end up missing the flight because he wouldn’t want to run, even to make the flight. 

“I’m sure! It’s your thing! I’d just be a dead weight anyways since the extent of my gaming knowledge is minecraft and even then all I do is build houses in create mode.” Plus Kenma was going to meet up with friends at the convention and even though Kuroo was going to miss Kenma he knew that it was good for them to have their own interests and do things alone sometimes. 

“It’s called ‘creative mode’ Kuro.” Kenma couldn’t help but correct his boyfriend. 

Kuroo shook his head and threw out his hands in an expression that said ‘See! Exactly what I mean.’ Laughing lightly at himself over his mistake he pulled Kenma into a hug, “I’m gonna miss you.”

“Miss you more” Kenma murmured, head resting in the crook of the tallers neck. He still seemed sad, slightly guilty that he wasn’t bringing Kuroo along with him. 

“Hey, it’s okay really. It’s just a weekend no big deal! I’ll see you when you get back, we can cuddle on the couch and eat takeout.” He pulled away and brushed his lips across Kenma’s forehead.They heard a honk outside alerting them that Kenma’s ride was here. “Now go because if you stay any longer I’ll want to hug you more and then the driver will get annoyed and leave, inevitably making you late for your flight.”

Kenma rolled his eyes at the well-intentioned rambling, “You manage to be such a sap but also such an idiot at the same time.” He paused to kiss Kuroo gently then stood on his tiptoes and rested his forehead against Kuroo’s, “I love you.”

“Love you more.” 

Then, before Kenma could argue that no, _he_ definitely loves Kuroo more, the latter had already handed him his bags and pushed him towards the door. 

“I’ll text you when I get there!” Kenma said before blowing Kuroo a kiss. Kuroo stuck his hand out as if he were going to catch the kiss then acted as if he had fumbled and dropped it. He picked it up and then safely deposited it in his pocket. He put his hand on his heart and sighed, relieved, “Whew that was a close one!”

Kenma laughed fondly before walking out. Kuroo decided to follow him out and help him put his bags in the trunk then gave him another chaste kiss. 

As the car pulled away, Kenma giggled. He could see Kuroo through the window waving so dramatically that he looked like one of those inflatable things at car washes. He turned around in his seat and smiled to himself while texting Kuroo, _‘i love u most.’ ___

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are always welcome and appreciated !!
> 
> follow me on twt: @solarghibli


	6. answered calls

It was the next day, Kuroo barely slept, finding it hard to let go of consciousness without Kenma curled up beside him. Sometime throughout the night the blond had texted him saying he arrived at the hotel and that he, _‘already misses him or wtv.’_

Most of the day had gone by pretty uneventful, he got a text from Kenma every few hours updating him how it was going. He was so excited about it and it made Kuroo smile thinking of how happy Kenma was. As it neared evening Kuroo’s chill day got interrupted with a call.

Kuroo heard his phone ring and picked it up to see Daichi, his friend and coworker calling him.

“Hey Daichi what’s up man!”

_“Hey Kuroo, sorry to bother you on your day off but Suga has a stomach bug or food poisoning or something and I gotta run him to the hospital. I was wondering, well more like desperately hoping if you could cover for me tonight.”_

Kuroo grimaced, not about covering Daichi’s shift (he didn’t mind doing that at all) but because he felt bad for Daichi’s boyfriend, Sugawara. When Kuroo had food poisoning and went to the ER he was so utterly miserable and out of it that to this day he still claims it as being one of the top ten worst experiences of his life. 

“You’re not bothering me at all! I’ll cover for you, no big deal! Tell Sugawara I hope he gets well soon.”

_“You’re a lifesaver, I owe you one ma-”_ Daichi cut himself off when he heard Sugawara groaning in the background, and some muffled sounds that seemed like he was definitely not doing well. _“Oh shit gotta go I really have to take him to the ER. I’m worried he’s gonna run out of fluids ah, oh and again thank you so much.”_

Kuroo waved his hand instinctively in a nonchalant manner even though Daichi couldn’t see the movement. “Really, it’s no problem!”

Daichi threw out another thanks and a quick goodbye before hanging up the phone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are always welcomed and appreciated!!
> 
> follow me on twt: @solarghibli


	7. drowning in gold

Glancing at the clock in his car Kuroo noted that, luckily, he wasn’t going to be late. He couldn’t find his key ring for work anywhere and didn’t want to be late so he had run by Daichi’s house to grab his keys. He usually would ask Kenma because he had this knack for finding things Kuroo has misplaced. He sighed, just one shift tonight, then get through tomorrow and _then_ he could hold Kenma all he wanted. Honestly the shift was kind of a blessing, he wouldn’t have been able to sleep without the younger anyways so it gave him a distraction of sorts.

He pulled into the parking lot and headed inside. He clocked in and headed to his locker to grab his gear. He always thought it was funny that for someone who worked at an art museum (albeit just a security guard) that he knew nothing about art. Yeah he thinks art looks good but he wouldn't consider himself an art connoisseur or anything, he’ll leave that to Akaashi. 

Kuroo and Daichi both started working at the museum a few years ago. Since they joined around the same time they ended up training together and soon became good friends, then they met Akaashi when he joined the staff. Akaashi was so well known in his profession that the museum had requested for him specifically. Kuroo bets his paycheck is probably way more than his, but he wasn’t ever jealous. Kuroo made plenty enough to sustain his lifestyle, and he was happy. He smiled to himself, he definitely has been a lot happier recently… probably has something to do with a certain short gamer. 

It wasn’t that he hadn’t been happy _before_ Kenma, it was just that he had always felt as if he was missing something. And, he supposes, has always secretly yearned for love, to care for and be cared for. Now he has exactly that and it was all he could’ve ever dreamed of and _more_. 

Kuroo couldn’t imagine his life now without Kenma: without their fond bickering or the quiet moments bathed in comfort, without the nights Kuroo tries to make dinner only for the both to decide going out would be the best and _safest_ option, without staying up all night watching Kenma play his games, watching more of Kenma’s face scrunched in concentration rather than of the gameplay itself. He couldn’t imagine not falling more and more in love with Kenma everyday. Waking each morning to see Kenma beside him- only to find himself breathless time after time at the sight of a half-asleep, pouty Kenma whining for breakfast but not wanting to leave bed just yet. 

Kuroo stopped walking, in the middle of doing his rounds… he _really_ couldn’t imagine his life without Kenma Kozume and he… he didn’t want to. This love that had literally stumbled into him was his everything and maybe- he wanted that everything to last forever. Kuroo had never thought of marriage before, not seriously at least. But in this moment it sounded, well it sounded almost normal- to imagine his future with Kenma and that, if anything, this distance made him realize just how much he didn’t want to be apart from the other. 

Just as Kuroo was about to start walking again he heard a noise. Faint, almost imperceptible. If it wasn’t for the fact that the museum at night was dead-silent -the only sound coming from his own footsteps- then he wouldn’t have heard it. His hand drifted towards his radio unconsciously, hovering over it as he slowly walked towards where the noise originated from. 

“Hello?” Kuroo called out carefully as he entered the room. His eyes swept the area and he didn’t spot anything. “If anyone’s in here I’m going to have to escort you out.” Another sound, this time, close behind him. Cat-like footsteps swiftly moving past him. He whipped around, heart racing but mind steady- collected. 

“Listen let’s just do this the easy way okay? You haven’t committed any large crimes yet...” He was always a caring person, and this just demonstrated it even more- not wanting anything severe to happen to the criminal. Hell, it could be a kid who was desperate, not knowing where else to turn. “...Breaking and entering is a lot less intense than stealing art.” 

As he was talking Kuroo has cautiously moved back towards where he came, searching for the person that he was sure was in here. He was hoping at least, that it was only one person, but he couldn’t assume or get too comfortable. If things went bad he could take one, maybe two people if needed. He didn’t want to hurt anyone but it was his job after all, and if the intruder was dangerous, it could come down to it being his life. 

Another faint rustle. Kuroo quickly aimed his flashlight towards it and saw the receding back of a figure racing towards another room. “ _Fuck_ ,” Kuroo whispered under his breath. He reached towards his radio, finally remembering to call this in. But … it was gone. _‘No way they managed to swipe it while running past me.’_

Realizing he was alone, cut off from alerting authorities he felt a twinge of fear. It came and went like a flash ripping apart his spine and eating away at his heart before receding away just as fast as it appeared; he couldn’t be afraid, this was his job. He’d prepared and trained for this… he could handle this- he _had_ to. 

Noting the wing the person entered, Kuroo rapidly devised a plan. The intruder, very clearly was faster, softer on his feet than Kuroo, they were a natural criminal. Kuroo couldn’t simply follow the person, he would never catch them or he’d probably run straight into a trap. Luckily, Kuroo had an advantage, he knew this museum better than anyone else. Mentally running through the layout of this floor he remembered that this specific wing had three lengthy, main rooms that were connected by open arches. 

He also had the advantage of knowing that there were service hallways stretching behind most rooms, and that in the room furthest back (the last one) there was a hidden door that could only be accessed through the service hallway. It appeared to be a normal wall from inside the gallery, only revealing itself as a door when opened. If he could race and get to the service hallway he could beat the intruder to the room. 

He nodded to himself, as if reassuring himself that everything will be okay. While running as lightly as he could towards the entrance to the hall he figured that, if anything, he was lucky that this was the first time something like this had happened. 

Kuroo unlocked the door and ripped it open. He sprinted as hard as he could down the seemingly endless hallway, making sure to count the turns and doors to ensure he got to the right one. Weighed down by his gear but not letting it slow him down, he broke a sweat. Kuroo maintained a good condition, exercising regularly and attending many self defense classes for his job. While he could easily handle this cardio, he also had to focus on fighting down the anxiousness threatening to bubble over and drown him. 

Breathing heavily, he finally reached the door to the desired room. He unlocked it and opened it gently, wanting to stay as silent as possible. After the door opened he managed to look around the room... not seeing anyone, he slid through and shut it. 

Kuroo placed his hand over his heart, it was going to beat straight out of his body if he didn’t calm himself down. He took deep, purposeful breaths to ease himself. After a moment of doing so he found he could breathe easier and the fog clouding his mind cleared up. Now, he just had to wait, the intruder most likely didn’t know that this way was a dead end, and even though they weren’t here yet- they could show up any moment. 

Kuroo and Daichi often called this the ‘chess room’ due to the elegant, towering sculptures and faint, brown-toned checkered floor. Spotting one of the towering sculptures Kuroo figured that it would be perfect to hide behind. He decided that he would stay hidden until the person ran into the room. Because of the sculptures they wouldn’t notice it was a dead-end until deep into it, then Kuroo, catching them by surprise, could tackle, and handcuff them. It was a move he had practiced many, many times. He remembers the first time he mastered it he was so proud of himself he invited Kenma and Akaashi to come to his class so they could watch him do it.

_“I feel like a soccer mom coming to watch her kids’ play,” Akaashi had told Kenma._

_“I think it’s cute,’ Kenma responded, amused. A fond sparkle shining in his eyes._

_Akaashi gagged dramatically and muttered something about Kenma ‘being more whipped than Kuroo, which was saying something.’_

_After class Kenma had told him about the exchange and Kuroo laughed before shyly asking, “Did you like it?”_

_The other giggled and hugged Kuroo, despite his slight layer of sweat, “You looked so badass Tetsurou.”_

Shaking his head he brought himself to the present, he had to focus. The main lights that were on during the day were off. Instead, at night they had thin, dim lights that lined the ceilings. They were bright enough that Kuroo could make out the general dimensions of the room and the black outlines of the figures although it was too dark to notice any specific details. 

Kuroo suddenly heard a crashing near the entrance of the room, and a flash of black. It seemed as if the person was moving further into the room. He crouched down and moved from his spot, towards the entrance. From there he could follow behind them and execute his plan. Just as he stood up and moved to walk further in however, he stopped dead in his tracks. He heard it before he felt it. The cocking of a gun followed by the cold press of the muzzle against the back of his head. 

The person was toying with him this whole time. Glancing to the side he noticed a rock, he quickly gathered that it was the source of the noise, an obvious diversion that he had somehow missed. Kuroo had thought he had outsmarted the person when he saw their shadow dash towards the back of the room. But when he was focused on not getting noticed while moving to the front of the room, the intruder had silently looped back around, on the opposite side of the room Kuroo was on. 

Kuroo, being completely honest, was terrified. He had managed to keep a loose handle on his emotions until now. But the severity of the situation had just struck him across the face. He was alone, unable to call for help or alert authorities and somehow the intruder didn’t set off a single alarm when breaking in. In retrospect Kuroo should’ve immediately known that this was a professional, but he was hoping for the best case scenario. At least from what he could tell currently, it was a one-person job, the worst part however, was the gun still harshly pressing against his head. Even though the weapon was ice-cold, Kuroo’s skin was ablaze. 

He had to act, to do something, the person hadn’t shot him yet so they might just be using it as a warning. The best he could do now was try. He made a move to turn, so subtle he might as well have not even moved at all. But this miniscule movement didn’t go by unnoticed. The gun pressed harder against him -a silent response echoing louder than a scream- telling him not to move. 

‘ _Okay_ ,’ he thought, ‘ _so turning slow won’t work. But what about..’_

Suddenly, Kuroo whipped around, mustering all the speed he could, shocking the attacker. As he turned left, his right hand whipped out to smash the gun out of the others’ hand. Unfortunately, the person anticipated the oncoming blow and leapt out of Kuroo’s reach. Their movements were lithe, graceful, appearing as if they were dancing. 

Without thinking Kuroo rolled behind a statue, putting an object between him and the intruder. Even if it spared him a second, it was a second nevertheless. He listened and couldn’t hear movements, but didn't dare to turn and look. Kuroo felt something other than fear pulling at him, wedging it’s way into the back of his mind. He ground his teeth together in frustration, he didn’t have the fucking time to decipher his feelings. And fuck, he surely didn’t know how to get out of this. Thinking quickly, he remembered how the guy still hadn’t shot or tried to shoot him yet. Maybe he could surrender and take the person by surprise, although, he countered, that didn’t work a few moments ago so it probably wouldn’t work now. And a run for it might really lead to him getting shot. 

Kuroo brought his knees up to his chest and put his head in his hands. He was panicking, thoughts chaotically tumbling over themselves in his head. He couldn’t latch onto a single one, they kept slipping through his fingers and returning to the swirling pool in his head. It was dizzying, overwhelming. 

Suddenly, Kuroo was running. Sprinting. Adrenaline propelling him forwards, he was racing- racing to get free. Wait- no...no he was still sitting. His mind, it was his mind that was racing. And his heart… his heart was thrumming faster than light. But he was still stuck, still so frozen in place that he had become a statue himself. Immovable, a moment in time forever captured in porcelain. Or was it marble? What was the difference, what did it matter? He laughed sardonically, these sculptures probably cost more than his life. 

Without looking up, he knew. He could feel the looming presence above him. He could practically feel the gun aimed towards him and golden eyes boring into his soul. 

Wait.

He didn’t know what the intruder looked like, he couldn't catch a glimpse of the face. And besides they were probably wearing a mask or something anyways. 

But he saw it in the back of his mind, golden rays of sunlight shredding him apart. Tearing at every fiber of his being- down to the nerve. He was electrified, burning from the inside out. 

Violently ripped out from his body Kuroo was floating. No, not floating; he was strung up by chains that reached up into darkness, it was black, an inescapable void. He couldn’t breathe but maybe he didn’t need to. 

The scene changed in front of him, the black made way to a sharp blue, warping colors and hues until it suddenly stopped as if someone hit pause. He was cold, freezing, on fire and chilled to the very bone. No longer in chains but still mentally trapped.

Children laughed as parents warned them to be careful. He felt a comfortable warmth in his right hand. Looking towards it he saw a familiar hand grasped in his, his eyes slowly trailed upward to find Kenma staring lovingly back at him. He saw the frozen breath escape Kenma’s mouth. Achingly slow, as if dragged through tar he forced his gaze to their feet. They were skating, gliding on ice. 

They’d been skating once before, Kuroo thought it would be a cute date and Kenma reluctantly agreed. Turns out Kuroo was a total klutz, he could barely stand still without falling straight on his ass. Each time he fell Kenma’s laugh followed right behind it, making each tumble worth it. But while Kuroo was useless at it, Kenma was- perfect. Kenma might as well have been dancing on solid ground. His body twisting and turning so beautifully that all Kuroo could do was sit on the ice in shocked silence as he admired the blond. Kenma was the literal definition of grace, an angel on ice.

Suddenly Kenma halted his impromptu routine and turned towards Kuroo. But wait- this wasn’t right. When they went skating Kenma did two more loops before circling back to Kuroo. But here, Kenma had turned and smiled. Kuroo smiled back and made a move to wave but then he noticed, Kenma’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

His eyes. An unforgettable golden, lovelier than any sunset. 

Faster than Kuroo could blink the rink had melted, sending Kuroo plummeting down to the icy black depths below. He was alone once again. Frantically he swam upwards but there wasn’t any sunlight leading him out, the waters pushed him down further. He was thrown back and forth through the tumultuous waters. He trashed and fought but all he could do was sink downwards. The deafening quiet interrupted by whispers that shot into his head and picked his mind apart. He couldn’t make them out, couldn’t get a grasp on anything. A scream escaped his lips, silenced by the pouring of ice into his lungs. 

Tired from the struggle he slowly stilled, his choking, water-filled screams stopping all at once. His eyes that were prickling with daggers of his own tears shut. He sank. Sank forever, an eternity of drowning lasting the length of a breath. 

Unforgiving darkness, blackness.

Quiet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are always welcomed and appreciated !!
> 
> follow me on twt: @solarghibli


	8. the truth ends all things

An explosion of light frantically burst through him, catapulting him up and out of the water, thrusting him back into his body so fast that he couldn’t register what just happened. His head was spinning and he couldn’t catch his breath. He slammed his hands on that ground, ensuring that this was real. The pain that resounded through his closed fists answered his question. 

“Figured it out did you?”

Kuroo was silent. He was still reeling. The voice; so familiar, yet so unimaginably strange to his ears. It sounded like home but also painfully like a nightmare screaming into him. 

“What gave it away,” the voice prompted further. Each syllable drove a knife into Kuroo’s heart. 

Kuroo grimaced and looked up. 

Golden, catlike eyes met his own brown ones. 

His breath hitched. He had guessed but seeing it ( _staring_ at it) threw out any desperate doubt he wished for. He couldn’t latch onto denial, he had to forever live with the ugly truth. The previous slight tug in his mind had combust and filled every nook and cranny of his thoughts with a realization that had come to him in one specific moment. 

Kuroo just managed to form two words that he spit out, as if he kept them in any longer they would eat him alive, “Ice Skating.”

The person before him laughed. But it was wrong, all wrong. It was _empty_ , devoid of its previous warmth. They shook their head and ‘tsked’ as they realized their mistake. “Ah, it was when I twisted away wasn’t it. Movements were too similar. Of course you just _had_ to be observant enough to catch it.”

Kuroo was frozen, unable to respond or react. 

“You know you weren’t supposed to be here. I didn’t want to break in on a night you were here. It would’ve been so much easier if it were Daichi, he’s not as perceptive as you, his hearing is worse too...” Kenma stopped and placed the hand that wasn’t holding the gun on his chin as if he were thinking. “I mean, I worked on the timing for so long but of course Suga had to fucking get sick. Could my alibi have _been_ any better?”

Kenma glanced down at Kuroo and noticing that he still wasn't able to speak, he decided to keep talking. After all he had pretended for so long that it was such a relief to be himself again. 

“I mean the gaming convention? Pretty brilliant on my part. I even managed to snag your keys so I wouldn’t trip any alarms, saved me quite a few steps. Thanks for being so forgetful! Although, I really didn’t expect it to go this awry. See, I was gonna wait oh, maybe a few more weeks until you proposed then pretend to be overwhelmed by the commitment and break it off with you.”

This got a reaction out of Kuroo, his jaw dropped and his eyes were laced with what could only be described as betrayal. 

Kenma noted this, “Awe, it isn’t personal. Really it’s just business. I would have proposed to myself too, I was so sweet wasn’t I!” 

Kuroo’s mind briefly caught up with itself. He grabbed onto a loose thread within it and it unravelled the fact that Kenma was so brutally calculating that he must have figured Kuroo was getting to the point of proposing. Regret instantly laced through his veins at this realization. He was catching up yes, but he was still so far behind he couldn’t comprehend. Everything was overwhelming him all he could do was _feel_. 

He felt emotions that he had never experienced this deeply or even at all. Hurt, deep stabbing hurt. Confusion so intense it blinded him. Fear, anguish, _heartbreak_ , loneliness, disbelief. They all blurred together and formed a grotesque painting that portrayed Kuroo’s entire self.   
The strongest emotion of all though, was loss. Loss of sensibility, of security, of happiness, of comfort. Loss… of love, of the one person he had poured all of himself into. 

He stumbled out the first thing he could think of, “Why me?” His words were pained and desperately searching for an answer. 

“I needed someone with connections. And you? you had many.”

“Connections?” Kuroo couldn’t connect the dots, too many thoughts were whirling around. 

Kenma sighed, as if it were obvious. “I had this hit lined up for this museum for a long time, and I always do thorough research. I first started by looking at the webpage, Akaashi’s face was plastered all over it. From there I simply googled him and found his social media’s, I noticed right away that he had a group of friends that he worked with. A guy named Samuwara Daichi and…. a Kuroo Tetsurou. Akaashi was way too high profile for me to get close to, plus it seemed like he had a thing for Bokuto so, I went after his two work friends. Daichi was in a committed relationship, too much work on my end you know? But you were perfect; single, kind, and trusting.”

Kuroo let out a moan that was almost inhuman, it was pure, raw, _hurt_. He was close to hyperventilating, each breath stabbing his chest and he started heaving raggedly. Between each jagged breath he managed to force out, “... The... coffee... shop?”

Kenma smiled gleefully, “All planned out. I’m not clumsy at all, was surprised you didn’t even notice that after that I never tripped like that for _months_. It was so simple, all I had to do was become someone you desired. A shy, blushing guy who was soft and sweet. I made myself someone you could love, that’s all you wanted after all wasn't it?” He waved his gun around casually as he talked, it was practically another extremity, the way he handled it so effortlessly. 

But while Kenma had a cruel, calm demeanor Kuroo was falling apart. He was sickened by all of this, to the point where nausea was hitting him in waves. Everything was hitting him all at once, each realization piercing a hole in his heart. Kenma had figured out Kuroo’s intense desire for love and used it against him. This was all a game to Kenma, like the ones he played so often. If only Kuroo had known that Kenma’s favorite game to play, was Kuroo himself. 

Bokuto. His stolen painting, it was Kenma, he should have known. The over inquisitiveness into it, he should have known. That night when Kuroo was worried about their happiness, and Kenma seemed stressed that Kuroo was so nervous; he should have known that it was because Kenma was worried his cover might be blown. Or when Kenma was so elegantly quick on his feet, he should have known. 

Suddenly breaking the tenuous silence, Kuroo blurted out, “So all of it? It was all a lie?”

“I wouldn't say it _all_. Like when I told you I’ve never been happier it was the truth. just...” he smirked coldly, “...not for the reasons you thought.”

Kuroo wanted to be mad, wanted to scream and hurt Kenma for all that he had put him through; toyed with his most intimate emotions for months just so he could steal some ugly fucking paintings and make a few bucks. But he couldn’t. He couldn’t win the fight against the part of him that loved Kenma, he wasn’t sure he ever could. Kuroo used to consider himself strong, but after this he could only muster _just_ enough strength to keep going. 

Kenma glanced at a watch on his wrist, “Looks like I better get going soon!” He bent down and took Kuroo’s handcuffs off his belt before handcuffing Kuroo to the statue. The taller didn’t even react, too invested in his own, heartbreaking revelations. Kenma backed away and left for what felt like minutes, maybe hours, years even. Kuroo couldn’t find it in himself to care what the younger was doing, didn’t care about the millions of dollars in art Kenma was probably whisking into a van. Maybe he had accomplices, Kuroo didn’t care. 

After a while Kenma came back. He crouched down to Kuroo’s level and met his eyes. Any warmth that used to live in the gold of Kenma’s eyes were gone, now they looked like molten lava. Burning hot and wild, but also ice cold and calculating.

All Kenma said was, “Sorry for this Tetsurou, you were nice but work’s work you know? Also I know the grieving process might be hard, but once the funeral is over it means the body’s been buried. It’ll be okay as long as you leave it six feet under.” 

That was the last time Kuroo Tetsurou ever saw Kenma Kozume, his love, ever again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are always welcomed and appreciated!!
> 
> follow me on twt: @solarghibli


	9. EPILOGUE - KUROO

It’s been two months. Two months since Kenma had changed Kuroo’s life forever in the matter of one unforgettable night. 

Kuroo can still recall those events in painstakingly vivid details. He breaks it up into three parts. Oblivion, depth, and after. Oblivion is when he had no idea of who Kenma really was, or what was happening. Depth, was when Juroo found out and lost himself in the murky waters of the truth. Finally… after, it wasn’t as eloquently named as the others but was just as meaningful. Because that’s what his life was now… the after. 

The after began when Kenma walked away, Kuroo could only hear the faint footsteps fade into nothingness before he was left alone. Kuroo was found a few hours later, when another guard came to start his shift. From there that day was a blur of questioning and paperwork.

He was asked multiple times if he caught a clear view of the culprit. Everytime his answer was the same. ‘No, unfortunately they were wearing a mask. And due to the lighting- or lack thereof I couldn’t get any specific attributes of them.” 

When it was all over the museum told him he wasn’t at fault, and that he would be welcome to stay on board. Kuroo appreciated this, but quit nevertheless. 

He finally got home many hours later to find that all of Kenma’s belongings were gone. There wasn’t a single trace of the blond, it was as if he had never been there to begin with. When his friends asked about Kenma he simply answered that their time apart made them realize the flaws in their relationship…and that it wasn’t working out, so they decided to break-up. 

The lies came easily but the truth burned deep.   
It was red-hot and consumed him alive. When he would lie awake at night the flames would lick up his body and scorch his skin. As much as he tossed and turned and screamed out to the night… the fire never ceased to destroy. 

Kuroo knew that two months couldn’t heal the hurt, but wished that at least it would get a little easier. But so far it had only made him miss Kenma more, and he hated himself for still loving Kenma- the fake Kenma that is. 

That’s what the two months did help with- he finally realized, two months later what Kenmas last words to him meant. 

‘ _I know the grieving process might be hard, but once the funeral is over it means the body’s been buried. It’ll be okay as long as you leave it six feet under_.’

The death of love and the mourning of a person who never truly existed. 

Kuroo was grieving the love that had been murdered that night in the museum; the Kenma that had been ripped away from him before he could even give his eulogy. He couldn’t dig up the past, he’d only dig up skeletal remains. He’d find nothing other than more ghosts to haunt him while he slept. 

Kenma caused all of this, but he also gave Kuroo the only advice that helps him cope. Kuroo hates himself for letting that advice work. He hates himself because he can’t hate Kenma. He might, one day. 

But for now he just lives in the smoke filled period of ‘after.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> comments are always welcomed and appreciated !!
> 
> follow me on twt: @solarghibli


	10. EPILOGUE - KENMA

Two months wasn’t long in Kenma’s world. It was fast-paced and ruthless and he loved every second of it. 

Sure the night at the museum could have gone better, but shit happens, he can’t plan for everything after all. Kuroo was integral to his plan so it was almost cosmically destined for him to almost be the downfall of it too. Plus, Kenma figures he handled it pretty well. 

_After he acquired all the desired pieces and placed them into the back of the moving truck he decided to say one last goodbye to the brown haired male. He figured the least he could do was give some parting advice, maybe apologize- who knows._

_When he got back to the truck and hopped into the passenger seat he slumped back and closed his eyes._

_“What’s wrong? Had to break it off with ‘pretty boy’ in there?”_

_Kenma lazily opened one eye and looked towards the driver of the truck. “Fuck off Oikawa.”_

_The handsome male scoffed dramatically, “Rude! I was just messing with you!” He looked towards the back of the truck and whined, “Iwa-chan do something Kenma’s being mean.”_

_The team had renovated it so the space was open for them to all gain easy access from the seats in the front to the space in the back. Iwaizumi was currently double checking and making sure the items were secure. He halfheartedly responded, “You two stop arguing I’m trying to focus.”_

_“He started it!” They both exclaimed in unison, glaring at the other afterwards._

_Seeing that Iwaizumi was promptly ignoring them Oikawa turned his full attention back towards Kenma. “You know, I didn’t hear a gunshot, you said you had to restrain him. You never do that, we never do that. Shoot first, ask questions never. It’s our motto, it’s how we keep ourselves at the top.”_

_Kenma rolled his eyes, “Shooting him would’ve been so messy, I didn’t feel like dealing with a mess. It’s that simple.”_

_“I mean if he didn’t realize it was you it’s fine I guess…” a pause. “...Wait, he didn’t realize it was you did he?”_

_Kenma’s stony silence answered his question._

_“Dammit Kenma what the fuck?! Are you dumb?” Oikawa was practically yelling, catching Iwaizumi’s attention and promoting him to come see what the two were arguing about._

_“I thought I asked you guys to chill out?” Iwaizumi asked, exasperation clear in his tone._

_Oikawa shot a finger out and stabbed it towards Kenma’s chest, “Kenma’s going to get himself fucking compromised. The dude realized it was him, he’s gonna alert the authorities!”_

_Kenma glared, frost slowly forming over his face. “He’s not gonna tell anyone.”_

_Iwaizumi was speechless, Kenma was never this messy, he had no clue what was happening. Instead of breaking up the fight like he normally would, he instead decided to hear them both out and let them fight._

_“Like hell he isn’t gonna tell anyone! He’s a security guard! That’s literally his job,” Oikawa was fuming at this point, his anger loud and electric._

_Though opposite of Oikawa, Kenma was quiet in his rage. His anger was cold and chilled others to the bone with its unbridled intensity. The two often fought and it was always a clash of sparks and ice._

_“He’s won’t,” Kenma simply responded. His clipped tone final, and resolute._

_Oikawa glared harshly at Kenma, “He won’t? Okay, I’ll make sure he won’t.”_

_Iwaizumi sat shocked for a moment, unsure of what Oikawa's intent was. Oikawa was wild and unpredictable, this came in handy more often than not. But right now it made Iwaizumi wish he asked Hinata or Kageyama to come instead, at least they were better at staying calm during jobs._

_Everything clicked into place however, when Oikawa pulled out his pistol and made a move to get out of the truck. He was stopped though, by a bruising grip wrapped around his wrist. Oikawa turned to see Kenma had grabbed his arm to prevent him from leaving and had a ferocious look in his eyes._

_“I said, he’s not gonna tell anyone. Have some fucking faith in my instincts and leave it alone.” Kenma’s voice held no room for arguments, his solid grip on Oikawa’s arm matching the finality in his words._

_Just as Oikawa was about to argue, Iwaizumi finally decided to step in. “Kenma said the guy won’t spill, so the guy won’t. We have to trust Kenma. I know you’re just worried about him, but he was there and he knows the guard, so we have to assume Kenma is correct.”_

_“I know I am.”_

_“See,” Iwaizumi continued, “Everything is fine. Now, if you two could apologize so we could drop this shit off and get home, I’m tired.”_

_Oikawa and Kenma mumbled apologizes to each other before the three fell into a comfortable silence. Any anger that was there before was instantly gone in the snap of a finger._

_It wasn’t until Oikawa turned up the radio to listen to music and Iwaizumi fell asleep, that Kenma allowed himself a sigh of relief_.

Kenma shook his head, pulling himself back to the present. He patted his newly dyed brown hair before stepping into the casino. Kenma smirked, he had some games to win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well!! here it is, you made it to the very end of ‘fragility!’
> 
> this whole piece’s concept was inspired when, one night as i was falling asleep this random thought popped into my head. so naturally, i wrote it in my notes. 
> 
> from there i based a whole plot and time frame, i wanted it to follow from the beginning of their relationship to the end of it... to the ‘after’ (wink wink). 
> 
> my biggest struggle by FAR was making the reveal have it’s desired impact. i wanted you, the readers, to feel as betrayed as kuroo. BUT! i also didn’t want it to be so out-of-left-field that it threw off the whole dynamic of the piece. i think (i hope) that i managed to handle it well. 
> 
> as for deciding on the characters kuroken just made so much /sense/ art-thief kenma was always something i wanted to write.  
>  kenma playing his games in each chapter leading up to the reveal was HUGE and intentional( as after finding out his true intentions you realize that the true game he was playing was not only kuroo but also /you/.   
> i also had kuroo wink a lot- yes he’s flirtatious by nature but also it’s a funny contrast that he’s the bold and loud character when really... kenma was far louder than him, even if he wasn’t making much noise. 
> 
> i also wanted the depictions of their time together to be short and fleeting, that’s why the chapters before the reveal werent as long. 
> 
> the reveal was BY FAR my favorite part to write and i’m lowkey proud of myself for it. and i almost /almost/ ended it without adding the epilogues. but i wanted to show the ‘after.’ i owed it to the characters and to you guys. (also you got to see more of kenma’s real life which i wanted to sneak in hehe.)
> 
> anyways no one’s probably reading this far so i’ll stop rambling!! 
> 
> oh! and here’s the infamous line that started it all (if u follow me on twt uve probably seen it already): 
> 
> “the human body is fragile, easy to crush. but the easiest part of all to break? it’s the heart.”
> 
> and that’s all!!! please leave comments and feedback i would really appreciate it hehe!!


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